After two years of research and partnerships, the Athabasca Tribal Council in partnership with Athabasca River Metis and Nistawoyou Association Friendship Centre has released the Rebuilding Resilient Indigenous Communities in the RMWB: Executive Summary revealing the impact of the wildfire on Indigenous communities in the region.
The report is based on research through 10 focus groups, 40 interviews, a regional survey of more than 600 Indigenous people and a review of more than 200 secondary sources.
It found that there were direct impacts and fewer resources during and after the wildfire.
Cumulative effects from things like residential schools have left the Indigenous population highly vulnerable to natural disasters.
According to the report, they had fewer resources, were more than 90 per cent more likely to be unemployed and more likely to be homeless or at-risk of homelessness.
First Nations governments were often excluded from operations during the fire leaving their populations exposed to “high-risk environments.”
“When the RMWB decided to use public schools as the physical locations for re-entry services, it likely did not occur to official that some Indigenous peoples – and particularly Elders and residential school survivors – might not be comfortable in such and environment and this would affect whether they used the re-entry and recovery services provided by the municipality.”
According to the report, the lack of safe and culturally appropriate evacuation affected whether people would seek the support they needed.
The report identifies four dynamics that impacted Indigenous peoples in each phase of the fire: the legacy and persistence of racist and discriminatory policies, exploitation of the oilsands resources, tensions between various institutions and governments, and cultural disconnect.
Tensions increased with Fort McMurray First Nation when it was told not to evacuate without authorization of the Alberta Emergency Management Agency, even though legally it’s up to the Band council.
Communication also created issues when the RMWB evacuated Indigenous and Rural Relations staff, leaving Indigenous governments without communication from the Regional Emergency Operations Centre.
Brad Callihoo, CEO of Fort McMurray First Nation #468 said they didn’t know there was a command centre until after the evacuation.
The report brought together First Nations and Métis governments after centuries “of being played against each other by governments and industry.”
The groups also launched their Voices Around the Fire video that shares moments from First Nations and Métis.
The 36 recommendations in the report cover a variety of themes including reconciliation, relationships and community preparedness in hopes of strengthening emergency response and disaster management.
